Hey art girl, how are you doing? Has it been a busy week? Now that life’s returning to some sense of normality, we don’t blame you if you’ve struggled to keep up-to-date with art world news. Luckily for you, we never skip a beat, so here’s a recap of everything you missed this week!
ART
Ashton Kutcher Burns Artwork
Yep, you read that right. Well, it wasn’t exactly an artwork…it was a doodle he made of cartoon eyes. Ashton’s stunt was made to promote Cryptograph, a blockchain art marketplace that converts drawings into digital artworks. It all sounds very futuristic and a tad complicated, but Kutcher’s drawing is now up for auction for more than $4,000! Read more about it via artnet.
Artists Unite To Save US Postal Service
Have you seen USPS trending on socials lately? It stands for United States Postal Service and it’s under threat. News reports across the globe are commenting on how Donald Trump is trying to undermine it to deter people from postal voting in the next US election. But, artists are using their platform to stop it from going away. KAWS, Futura, ALOK and AliRae Aguiree are all amongst artists trying to save USPS.
Damien Hirst Brings Back The Art Basel Banana
Back in 2019 when we were all able to travel and enjoy art fairs to our hearts content, there was a certain banana that stole almost every art-filled headline. Remember Maurizio Cattelan’s Art Basel banana, anyone? While it seems like 100 years ago, Damien Hirst decided to bring it back. The British artist asked Cattelan if he could buy a banana, but Cattelan said no. However, curator Francesco Bonami felt sorry for him and sent him his own version. And, while it may not be an original, Hirst certainly seems pleased with himself.
FASHION
Anti Social Social Club Announces Collab With Sanrio
OK, so we don’t know much about this one. However, we did notice a post on the gram announcing news of a collab between Sanrio and Anti Social Social Club coming on August 22, and we are totally here for it!
Comme Des Garcons Collab With Futura 2000
We just love an art x fashion collab. Comme des Garcons has just teamed up with Futura 2000 for their SHIRT LINE, which features graffiti inspired shirts (duh) and bags all available now via Dover Street Market.
MARKET
Curator Makes Buyers Sign Contracts Promising Not To Resell Work By Black Artists
Ever since the BLM movement took center stage, interest in art by contemporary black artists has gone through the roof. As a result, Destinee Ross-Sutton, the curator of Christie’s recent SAY IT LOUD (I’m Black and I’m Proud) selling exhibition of 22 emerging Black artists, has asked buyers to sign a contract agreeing not to resell the work for at least five works. In the event that the buyer does try to resell, they must first seek permission from the artist. And if they sell outside auction, they must then give 15% of profits to the artist. The decision was made in order to ensure artists profit from their works.
Christie’s Hosts Selling Exhibition Dedicated To Sports
Sports and art…not something you expect to see in the same sentence, right? Well Christie’s is changing that by hosting a selling exhibition dedicated to when sport features in modern art. For The Love of the Game: Sports in Modern and Contemporary Art includes work by big names including Jeff Koons, Marcel Duchamp and Andy Warhol.
Air Jordan’s Break Records At Christie’s
Sneakers are hot property! A pair of Michael Jordan’s worn Air Jordan 1’s just sold in Christie’s Original Air auction for $615,000, making them the most expensive pair of sneakers ever to sell at auction!
Christie’s To Host Auction To Support Lebanese Art Community
The world was taken aback by the explosion that hit Beirut on August 4, a devastating shock that badly affected the country’s art community. In a bid to help, Christie’s Dubai has just announced that they will host We Are All Beirut – Art for Beirut in October.
Text Lizzy Vartanian
